Ferguson protests around U.S. clog streets

[brooklynite]

Source: CNN

In Atlanta and Boston and New York and Los Angeles, they marched by the hundreds or the thousands -- blocking bridges, tunnels and major highways as they shouted their anger over a Missouri grand jury's decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson.

A day after St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch announced there would be no criminal charges against Wilson for the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, there were protests in more than 170 U.S. cities.

In the Big Apple, protesters shut down lanes of the FDR, known more formally as the Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive, as they chanted, "Mike Brown! Mike Brown!"

It was just one of several long lines of demonstrators make its way through the city. Police, who were nearby in large numbers, stayed back and let the marchers go.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/25/us/national-ferguson-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

[IDemo]

1. We're already advised in another thread that it's open season on traffic disrupters

Because road rage is righteous...

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. These are the most energized nationwide mobilizations since Occupy.

There is energy out there. And I suspect that for many of those folks, the electoral game and existing political system is pretty much irrelevant.

[Ykcutnek]

4. I hope the momentum builds.

The most useless Congress in generations needs their feet dipped in the flames.

[Joe Shlabotnik]

6. fully support them,

but wish they were about class warfare rather than racial reaction. We need a new new left that drops identity politics, and goes after the elites.

[riversedge]

3. Some photos at this DU thead...

yeah--promoting my own....



http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025870932

[sir pball]

5. The NYPD is showing some good discretion all around.

They don't seem to be hassling the protesters on the FDR or at the Midtown tunnel; both of those are shitshows more often than not anyway, so commuters always have alternate routes in their heads. On the other hand, they did channel protesters away from the Lincoln Tunnel pretty quickly (and uneventfully) - that's a massive cross-river artery that would cause potentially serious problems being closed very long.

Other than that, it's been almost entirely peaceful (two minor arrests). Bratton has generally been giving the crowd "breathing room" quite well.

[noiretextatique]

7. that's great, since one their own just killed a black man

for walking on some stairs.

http://www.politicususa.com/2014/11/21/york-city-police-officer-shoots-kills-unarmed-black-man-stairs-building.html

[brooklynite]

8. ...and was promptly arrested.

[noiretextatique]

9. that's a start

they've learned since amadou diallo. but since all the officers were acquitted in that shooting...

[sir pball]

12. Oh, that made headlines all over town. Just commending the behavior with the protesters.

Though I'm not sure if the Hurley shooting is racial as opposed to simply utterly, homicidally, criminally incompetent. "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."

[noiretextatique]

13. possibly

do you think, if they were in a tony apartment building on the upper east side, for example. that the cop would have shot someone for walking on the stairs? may not be about race, bu definitely about class....and race.

[Comrade Grumpy]

11. Too bad our political and criminal justice systems are so unresponsive.

Maybe this will start to serve as a heads up.

Our patience grows thin.

[groundloop]

14. I was caught in that damned traffic in Atlanta..... I'm not amused

Yes, I get that there's still a great racial divide in this country. Yes, I get that people are rightfully pissed off that a white cop didn't face justice for killing an unarmed black kid. I've been preaching to my family, friends, and anyone who'd listen to me that Darren Wilson should go to trial. But doing something that just totally pisses people off at you isn't the way to bring people around to your point of view. IMO blocking a major interstate just played into the stereotype that black youths are lawless thugs.

[FLPanhandle]

15. Lots of families traveling for the holidays now.

Potential for a lot of disruption.

[bemildred]

16. But how will people shop? nt

[blackspade]

17. +1000